5 Outstanding LGBT Activists Online

The past year was full of victories for the LGBT equality movement in the United States. Three new states voted to legalize same-sex marriage, and many more states and cities proposed or passed bills to eliminate discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.

And in a time when our world revolves around technology and the Internet, some of the most influential activists for the LGBT cause were those found lobbying online. Let’s take a look at five outstanding online LGBT Activists from 2012:

Dan Savage is a columnist and MTV host—but perhaps he is best known now for creating “It Gets Better,” a project designed to show LGBT youth “the levels of happiness, potential, and positivity their lives will reach—if they can just get through their teen years.” It shows these teens that they are not alone in the world, and that there are things to look forward to. Since creating the first “It Gets Better” video, over 50,000 user-created videos have popped up online, and together they have over 50 million views. Submissions have come from everyday users as well as politicians, celebrities, organizations, activists, and more.

Brittany McMillan was just 18 years old, but that didn’t stop her from creating a world of change. Seriously distraught over the suicide rates of gay youth, McMillan created Spirit Day in 2010 to show support by wearing purple. It’s been an annual tradition ever since, this year garnering thousands of supporters all over the country.

Randy Phillips gave inspiration to gay soldiers everywhere when he came out to both his family and to the world via YouTube. Though “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” has been repealed, it still takes a lot of courage to come out when you’re a U.S. soldier, and by doing so Phillips helped other gay soldiers see that they are not alone.

Murray Lipp created the Gay Marriage USA (GMUSA) Facebook group, which now has hundreds of thousands of followers. Posting photos and community news, the group allows users to connect and stay active on the marriage equality front.

Diana Scholl and Laurel Golio started an online photojournalism project called “We Are the Youth,” which tells the stories of those who have come out. They’ve featured over 60 young people aged 14-21 on their site, and after receiving substantial support through a Kickstarter campaign, the project is doing better than ever.